Description

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) seeks to hire an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator (hereafter, Coordinator) to assist in the implementation of vital emergency preparedness, public safety, and public health projects. This individual must be computer savvy and highly organized, with effective communication skills who can multi-task and work within set deadlines. The Coordinator will partner with several members of the MAPC Municipal Collaboration team in the execution of projects that serve to enhance the safety, health, equity, and well-being of residents and visitors to Massachusetts. This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and innovative environment with colleagues who are committed to building a more sustainable and equitable future.

About MAPC
MAPC is the Regional Planning Agency (RPA) serving the people who live and work in metropolitan Boston. Our mission is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration. We are guided by our regional plan, MetroCommon2050: Shaping the Region Together. MAPC’s staff includes approximately 100 full-time employees located in downtown Boston in a transit-accessible and bike-friendly office.

MAPC has a hybrid schedule, combining time in the office with remote work. Employees must reside within a commutable distance from MAPC’s Boston office. 
MAPC strongly supports the professional development of every staff person, believing their growth to be consistent with the best interests of MAPC and the region. We encourage all our staff to develop new ideas to make MAPC’s planning and policy work more relevant and impactful, and to adapt to changing times.
This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and innovative environment with professionals who are committed to building a more sustainable and equitable future for everyone who lives and works in Greater Boston. For more information about MAPC or MetroCommon2050, please visit www.mapc.org.
 
About the Municipal Collaboration Department
The Municipal Collaboration Department specializes in assisting local governments to work regionally by partnering with each other and private entities such as hospitals and public safety associations to make our communities safer. Our team:

• Provides emergency preparedness support to municipalities including the development of emergency preparedness plans and establishment of regional emergency preparedness teams. This support also includes the design, development, and delivery of emergency preparedness and response trainings, drills, and exercises for public and private sector stakeholders, as well as the general public.    
• Serves as the Sponsoring Organization for the Region 3 Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC), with funding for this work through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health – Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management. The HMCC is a regional collaborative effort between local Public Health, EMS, Long Term Care Facilities, Large Ambulatory Care Practices, Community Health Centers, and Hospitals to strengthen and promote the emergency preparedness and response capabilities of the region and to share resources. MAPC provides additional support to the Region 3D Public Health Coalition, serving as the coordinator and facilitator of that group.
• Serves as fiduciary for the Commonwealth’s four homeland security councils, managing grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security via the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). MAPC provides additional support to the Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council, serving as the program manager and facilitator of that group.
• Oversees the Metropolitan Mayors Community Safety Initiative (CSI), a collaborative effort of eight communities in the metropolitan Boston region. The CSI is funded by EOPSS and brings together police departments and social service agencies to address youth violence and gang involvement through law enforcement, job training, and after-school programs.

MAPC’s emergency preparedness practice grew out of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, which demonstrated the need to better prepare for future hazards that impact the most vulnerable and marginalized populations in our region. The team’s work focuses on preparing for, responding to, and recovering from all types of emergencies. A specific focus of the practice is climate-related emergencies that impact at-risk populations and those with access and functional needs, particularly in Environmental Justice communities.  

Responsibilities (including but not limited to) 

The Emergency Preparedness Coordinator will support the development and implementation of municipal, state, and federally funded projects that serve to advance emergency preparedness, public safety, equity, and public health efforts across Massachusetts. Duties involve assisting with the development, documentation, implementation, coordination, and facilitation of a variety of emergency preparedness and response activities. The Coordinator will interact and collaborate with partners, as well as develop and maintain relationships with outside agencies and community organizations regarding emergency preparedness and response efforts. In addition, the Coordinator will work collaboratively with another member of the MAPC Municipal Collaboration Team to provide coordination services for the Massachusetts Region 3D Public Health Coalition. Also included in the Coordinator’s portfolio is assisting as needed with projects related to the Region 3 HMCC. In this capacity, the Coordinator will work on the development and execution of special events and trainings, inventory management, and other administrative tasks.

Specific duties will include:

• Support the team and project manager with organizing comprehensive emergency preparedness plans for public and private sector stakeholders using a whole community approach, including conducting relevant research and data gathering as needed;
• Assist in designing, developing, and delivering of emergency preparedness and response trainings for public and private sector stakeholders, as well as the general public on a variety of disaster preparedness topics;
• Assist in designing, developing, and delivering of disaster response drills and exercises for public and private sector stakeholders;
• Develop After Action Reports following drills and exercises to identify and close gaps or implement process improvements;
• Serve as one of the three 24/7/365 HMCC duty officers;
• Assist as needed with HMCC Region 3 projects;
• Provide coordination services for the Massachusetts 3D Public Health Coalition to include:
  • Serving as the primary point of operational and administrative contact for internal and external constituencies.
  • Providing required Coalition reporting and documentation to include the following:
    • The Coalition Work Plan and Budget for the current budget period.
    • Quarterly Coalition Work Plan updates and expenditure information.
    • Budget modifications.
    • Purchase request forms for all approved purchases.
    • Coalition Request Forms including Exercise Notification Forms, Training and Conference Request Forms and Subcontractor Identification Packets.
  • Overseeing completion of the Coalition and Community Level Grant Deliverables.
  • Completing Coalition inventory tracking.
  • Coordinating all Coalition meetings. 
• Build excellent relationships with public safety and health and medical leaders at the local, state, and federal levels to enhance emergency preparedness activities that support cities and towns and advance MAPC’s mission; and
• Provide administrative, general office, system, and project support to the MAPC Municipal Collaboration Team.

Occasional evening and weekend events, and local travel are a responsibility for this position. MAPC does not require that you have a vehicle; however, you must have a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. MAPC provides support for travel, including MBTA passes, a Zipcar account, and BlueBikes membership.
 

Qualifications

Candidates for this position should have, at a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree and 1 year of relevant work experience. Successful completion of the following training courses is preferred or must be obtained within six months of start date: ICS 100, 200, 300, 700, 800 and HSEEP (L-0146).
 

The successful applicant will demonstrate all or most of the following skills:

• Knowledge of common emergency management, emergency communications, and security technologies and systems;
• Knowledge of exercise design, conduct, and evaluation;
• Knowledge of training program design, execution, and evaluation;
• Ability to proactively set priorities and multi-task without compromising attention to detail;
• Excellent time management and organizational skills;
• Understanding of multi-step processes and how to work within them in a team environment;
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines;
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal);
• Ability to work with a wide variety of stakeholders;
• A professional demeanor and a positive “can do” attitude, with high customer service standards;
• Willingness to perform administrative functions as needed, such as filing, photocopying, and database management; and
• Advanced computer skills including working with MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook and Adobe.

Per MAPC COVID-19 Vaccine Policy, all employees, including remote employees, must be fully vaccinated. This position will require the selected candidate to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, including the Bivalent booster. MAPC is an equal opportunity employer and will consider reasonable accommodation to those individuals who are unable to be vaccinated consistent with federal, state, and local law. 

Compensation and Benefits
The salary ranges from $60,000-$67,000 depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time non-exempt position. MAPC offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits as well as a flexible, supportive, and family-friendly work environment and a commitment to continued professional development. 

How to Apply
Apply online at www.mapc.org/jobs. The position is open until filled, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Candidates selected to interview will be asked to submit three (3) references plus a sample of relevant writing or work product. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA and a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. MAPC participates in E-Verify, which is a federal program that helps us to determine work eligibility in the United States.
 
We believe that a staff with a range of perspectives, experiences, and skillsets strengthens our work. We are committed to building a more equitable workplace that allows staff with diverse backgrounds and identities to thrive, grow, and lead. For more information on MAPC’s culture of equity, see our  Equity at MAPC page.